Taliban Releases Over 1,000 Criminals, Drug Traffickers After Capturing Key Cities

As the Taliban captured key cities from the Afghan government, the terror group has released nearly 1000 criminals, drug traffickers among others from at least six cities it took control of in recent days.

The Taliban has released over 1,000 prisoners from jails after the group's recent takeover of six cities in the past few days, Afghanistan's TOLO News quoted officials from the directorate of the prison administration as saying on Wednesday.

"Most of them were sentenced on criminal charges--drug smuggling, kidnapping and armed robbery," director of the prison administration Safiullah Jalalzai said.

At least 630 prisoners in Kunduz--among them 13 women and three foreigners--were released from jail by the Taliban. Of that figure, 180 were Taliban terrorists including 15 high-profile Taliban inmates who had been sentenced to death by the Afghan government, TOLO News reported.

The Taliban also released at least 350 prisoners in Nimroz province's Zaranj city, including 40 Taliban inmates. However, the Afghan government has said that once the terrorists are captured, the prisoners will be arrested again.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)